An Interview with Penney Malecaut - The Parish of Greenford Magna

An Interview with Penney Malecaut
by members of the Cross-Over Group
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Where were you born and live as a child?
I was born in Welwyn Garden City in the QE2
hospital so I am a Hertfordshire Hedgehog.
What were good at in school?
Reading and writing. I was always making up
stories and making up new words. I would read
a book and then imagine a sequel to it and try to
write it. I was also good at handwriting, but not
anymore!
Do you have brothers and sisters?
I have a younger sister called Cheri and a
brother called Mark. He is at University and is a
member of the Territorial Army.
Did you go to Church as a young person?
Yes, I attended a Methodist Church Sunday
School and I remember one of my teachers was
Australian and her name was Bronwyn. I was a member of the Crusader organisation.
Do you still have school-day friendships
I have a best friend whom I met in the Juniors 30 years ago. I recently went to a re-union
with High School friends.
Are your parents living near you?
No, they still live in the same house where I grew up in Welwyn Garden City. Now I am a
mother myself, I understand them better and have a good relationship with them.
Did you attend a University? What did you study?
I studied for a Social Work degree at Huddersfield University, but didn’t start until I was 26.
I have a B.Sc. and the studies included reading things like The Children Act and The
Mental Health Act.
When and how did you meet your husband?
I met Guy at a cousin’s wedding. The cousin was marrying Guy’s sister. I asked him to hold
my sunglasses while I was being photographed and he wouldn’t give them back to me until I
gave him my phone number! We married in 2002.
Do have hobbies?
I like making cakes for special occasions such as weddings, christenings and Christmas.
I enjoy skiing and would love to be a skater. In Switzerland I enjoyed being a passenger in a
bobsleigh on the famous Cresta Run. I also like reading.
What television do you enjoy?
I love Coronation Street which I have watched since I was very young. I also like ER,
Desperate Housewives and if I am home, perhaps feeling ill, I will watch Countdown.
I enjoy football if it’s a good game.
What are your favourite food and drink?
Champagne is my favourite drink if there is enough money! I love Greek food, especially
lamb and feta cheese.
Where do you like to go on holiday?
Mauritius or anywhere that is warm but I also enjoy skiing weather.
Have you ever been seriously ill?
I was very poorly once, but now everything is fine.

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Do you support a football team?
Arsenal. When I lived in the North it was easy to find tickets for their away games at
northern clubs. I like Thierry Henri, Paul Merson, Tony Adams and David Seaman. Thierry
Henri is very good looking!
Do you enjoy sports and do you cycle?
Yes I have a bike and have been known to roller blade to work, although it is very
dangerous due to traffic.
Which is your favourite restaurant
Our neighbour has a restaurant in China Town called Mr Kong’s and it serves very good
food at good prices.
Do enjoy going to the cinema? What is your favourite film?
I really love going to the cinema and my favourite film is The Magnificent Seven. I love
films from a broad range of genre.
What kind of books do you read?
Crime thrillers for example. I like books that make good use of the English language like
those by Pat Conroy and books by Iain McEwan. I also have a lot of work-related reading.
What kind of work do you do?
I am a Social Worker and I manage a team of Social Work assistants. We deal with people
in crisis often including children who may need to be taken into care and we try to ensure
that they have a chance to see their birth parents safely.
Do you ever get upset at work?
I sometimes feel upset when having difficulties within my team and also when I see children
in trouble. Three cases in particular have upset me a lot.
Do you deal with difficult things at work?
It is always difficult when children die
either through sickness or accidents.
What age range of children do you deal with?
From before birth to about the age of 15.
What other countries have you visited?
Mauritius, Egypt, Israel, Greece, USA,
Canada, Belgium, Ireland, Czech Republic
and others. I would like to go to Hong Kong.
Do you have lots of time for home and family?
Full-time work makes it hard, but I do my
best to fit everything in as well as I can.
Who does the house work at home?
The cleaner! Guy is good at hoovering and I
do the washing and ironing.
Are you afraid of anything?
A was once bitten by a spider, but mostly I fear change.
Are you allergic to anything?
Not really, although two years ago my finger reacted badly to a wasp sting.
Do you like children’s programmes on t.v.?
I enjoyed watching Brum when Lloyd was younger and I enjoyed Star Wars- Clone Wars
and Dr. Who.
Have you ever contributed to a publication?
In Infant school, I had a poem published in an anthology of children’s verse.
Do you have any questions for us?
Yes, what do you want to be when you are grown up?
The answers included Footballer, Doctor (that what Mum wants me to be anyway) artist, club
entertainer, hairdresser, actress and singer.